Five Favorite Big Screen Superheroes

Superhero movies are big business, and it seems like every hero has his day. However, there are a few superheroes people keep coming back to as favored stars of the silver screen. These heroes show up summer after summer, and their movies are highly anticipated among casual and hardcore fans. There is something unique about all of these heroes that makes them fan favorites.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Batman

This broody hero has two film franchises under his belt, a couple of 1940s movie serials and a few stand-alone films. The Bat also stars in numerous animated features and TV shows that are both animated and live-action. Batman is a versatile superhero who has the potential for hilarious, campy stories filled with cheesy one-liners but is also suitable for dark, gritty flicks with questionable morality.

Batman has no superpowers, but instead uses his wealth and intellect to stay a step ahead of his enemies. This makes him more relatable than his peers, who often rely on powers to get the job done. His gadgets and gizmos, such as the Batarang and the Batmobile, give him an advantage over even the most dangerous foes.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Superman

Superman is the moral boy-next-door to Batman's dark shadow. Though the two are friends, audiences love Superman for different reasons than dear Batman. Superman is an alien, and he has numerous powers, though the details of his powers often change from franchise to franchise. He has two main film franchises and numerous stand-alone titles. Superman also stars in animated films and series.

Viewers love Superman's upstanding morals and his near-invincibility. His otherworldly powers set him apart from many other heroes and typically keep him well ahead of his foes. However, his high moral standards put some kinks in his ability to fight the bad guys, since he avoids going against his moral code at nearly any cost.

Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Spider-Man

This spunky hero is a favorite because of his quirky, nerdy personality. Granted powers by a mutation sparked by the bite from a radioactive spider, Spider-Man was just a regular high school student when greatness was thrust upon him. His double life is a huge part of the films, with girlfriends and family members regularly in danger. His work as a journalism photographer also keeps him on his toes as he turns in pictures of himself to his boss.

The star of two franchises, Spider-Man has not found the long-lasting success of Superman or Batman, but he is still a favorite hero. One stand-alone film and many attempted projects prove that there is interest in taking this web-slinging hero to the theater, and the hero refuses to give in, constantly coming back to try again.

Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Wolverine

As part of the X-Men, Wolverine is another broody hero adored by fans. He appears in every X-Men film and has one standalone movie of his own that explores his origin story. The gruff, gritty hero is also in numerous other adaptations, including games and TV series. While he plays his role within the X-Men team, he is also known for doing things his own way in his own time, or disappearing on his own adventures and travels.

Wolverine is a mutant whose base powers depend on comic cannon. The most basic agreed-upon power for the man is that he is all but immortal, healing any wounds quickly and effectively. This allowed him to be part of an experiment where his skeleton was covered in a fictitious metal that gave him his trademark claws. The claws fit his roguish personality, and his attitude makes him a beloved icon.

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Iron Man

Another hero with attitude, Iron Man is a recent film favorite. He has a stand-alone franchise of his own, but is also a key player in "The Avengers," a franchise that focuses around a group of heroes banding together against the bad guys. Iron Man has also had numerous cartoon appearances.

This smart-talking hero can be rude, crude and lewd in his interactions with others, but his funny quips make him perfect for the big screen. Iron Man has no natural superpowers and, like Batman, uses his money and intellect to give him the strength and power needed to fight evil. Unlike Batman, however, this makes him a cocky hero who can grate on the nerves of other characters, which makes for some memorable interactions on screen.

These heroes are beloved by fans far and wide, and their movies are always surrounded with hype. Although some comic purists pick and prod at anything that does not directly fit the comic cannon, everyone still loves these heroes and their respective casts of allies, villains and ambiguous acquaintances.